When it comes to choosing where to live there’s a lot more to be considered than the house itself – good or bad housemates can make or break your student housing experience!

Living in student housing is very different at the moment compared to previous years. You’ll find yourself spending a lot more time with your housemates, possibly without any visits home, not attending lectures on campus and maybe not even being able to leave the house for part time work. You need to be absolutely sure that you can spend intense amounts of time with your housemates comfortably. 

Try … Read the rest

We’ve all heard horror stories from student housing – whether it’s nightmare landlords, houses with damage and disrepair or housemates you’d rather not be living with. But if you take time to choose your house carefully it can be a great experience! All this week we’re bringing you our advice and top tips on how to Rent Right this year.

Research Letting Agencies

You only need to ask a few friends and at least one will mention an agency that they have had issues with (perhaps one name will crop up more than once!) so it’s important to research who … Read the rest

Today, online bullying can be difficult to identify and with the new normal, it’s even more pervasive. I know that the effects of Bullying can be so detrimental to your wellbeing. I’ve supported friends who have been bullied and it can be so difficult watching someone you care about be victimised and hurt. So, it’s really important that we continue to have these conversations and continue to act where we can.

I spoke to some student officers about their experiences of bullying, and this is what they said:

“I had experienced bullying for 16 years of my life – including

We support our Trans Student Community this Trans Awareness Week and beyond. If you’d like to get in touch, please email vpwelfare@susu.org. Below are some local and national organisations who can offer support:

Mindline Trans+
A confidential listening service for people who identify as trans, agender, gender fluid, and/or non-binary. Mindline Trans+ is run by trans, non-binary, and LGBT people, and trans allies. The helpline is co-run by local mental health charities Bristol Mind and Mind in Taunton and West Somerset.  More information about Mindline Trans+ can be found at: mindtws.org.uk/trans-plus/.

Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline
This provides an information, … Read the rest

We understand how difficult things are for students in the current circumstances, especially now that England will enter another lockdown from Thursday 05 November. Please remember there is always lots of help and support available from SUSU, the University and external teams. Some of our outlets and services will remain open during this next lockdown, please see the opening times below.

Support for Students

If you are struggling with your mental health, feeling lonely or just want to talk about what’s on your mind please make sure you reach out to someone. You’re not alone and lots of students may … Read the rest

Last week marked World Mental Health Day, so we wanted to share a blog about prioritising your mental health at university alongside the resources we shared last week. It is difficult when you are busy, working hard, away from home, or socialising a lot to keep on top of your mental health and to incorporate good self care and wellness practices into your routine.

Find activities that make you feel productive and interested

Finding activities like sports clubs, societies, part time work or other extra-curricular activities is so important. Knowing you are interested in something and have a goal or … Read the rest

Coming to uni and leaving home can be an incredible time, having independence and being able to find your feet in a new environment. But, it can also be a really stressful time and you may be really missing your family, home and friends. During Lockdown, a lot of us spent all of our time at home, with family, and although it may have gotten tedious, it then does mean leaving may be a bit more challenging, even for returning students. We wanted to put together a few bits of advice on coping with homesickness for all students. 

Create a … Read the rest

Content warning: Mental Illness

Saturday 10th October 2020 is World Mental Health Day, and we wanted to take this opportunity to let students know that in these particularly difficult times, we are here to help you with your mental health.

Problems like loneliness, homesickness, work pressures, housing issues, financial difficulties, romantic relationships, and physical health can all contribute to mental illness or struggling with your mental wellbeing at university. Whether you are a new or returning student, we know that sometimes there are things going on in your life which may negatively affect your mental health. We will be posting … Read the rest

When you move to uni, it may feel like your room is full to the brim with stuff.

You are 1 part person, 3 parts IKEA purchases, shower caddies and pots and pans. There are boxes crammed with things you might need, could need, will inevitably share with your housemates and more tea towels than you know what to do with.

It is however inevitable that out of your entire flat, you won’t be able to find a single clean tea towel in a week. 

So, when you have hundreds of videos from popular studytubers and endless blog posts about … Read the rest

Over the weekend, there has been significant media attention on the senseless murder of George Floyd by a U.S policeman. However, this is not an isolated incident. In the last few weeks alone, there have been a number of racist attacks on the Black community, and has been an ongoing issue for a long time. This has led to recent media attention on the #BlackLivesMatter movement and today people are positing black squares as part of #blackouttuesday to raise awareness. We encourage people using the #blackouttuesday hashtag to NOT use the #blacklivesmatter hashtag, as it is currently removing space for important updates … Read the rest